Tag: singing lessons

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Why can’t I sing as high as I used to? a.k.a. How a voice can go downhill

“Why can’t I sing as high as I used to?”

THIS is a question I get asked a lot. I’ve extensively covered the effects of aging on the voice in this article I previously wrote, but in this article I want to use some actual examples of voices that are golden voices in their own genres, but that have perhaps gone on to find their voices have gone downhill compared to their golden years. It’s also helpful to hear these to realise that EVERYONE has their issues. I’m not picking on the following singers because I think they are bad (far from it!) but merely to remind us that they are human, and we all have peaks and troughs over time and day to day.

In each of these cases however, I’d put this down to issues in their technique that maybe weren’t backbreaking at age 20, but at age 30, 40, 50 or older become back-breaking technical issues for each of them.

The Allure of Youth

Note: It’s always easier to sing high and sound fresh when you’re young. This isn’t the primary sign of vocal ability, it’s a hallmark of youth. The challenge lies in building one’s voice so it gets stronger and fuller as you get older rather than getting run into the ground through bad habits and poor technique.

This is especially problematic when singers acquire commercial acclaim based on an unsustainable sound. Let’s go through a few examples I think show this issue well: Continue reading “Why can’t I sing as high as I used to? a.k.a. How a voice can go downhill”

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Recording vs Live Performance – Which is harder?

I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few years on recording. I’ve spent time recording tracks, mixing them, and making them sound as good as possible. It’s a skill in and of itself that I can constantly improve at…

… but when it comes to recording your own voice vs doing a live performance, which is harder, and which is easier?

Well, it’s not that simple. There’s pros and cons each way. Let’s have a look at them in turn: Continue reading “Recording vs Live Performance – Which is harder?”

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Ordering your song list

In the last article we talked about how to start creating a song list to help build your voice. This week – assuming you’ve got your list finalised and to hand – I want to give some further advice on how to shape and continually work with ordering your song list to improve your voice.

Firstly, consider how we use voice exercises

1) When we work on someone’s voice, we start with a warmup.
2) We then proceed to lower impact exercises designed to co-ordinate and connect the voice.
3) We then proceed to higher impact calibration and voice building exercises.
4) We may then proceed to a few voice checks that are designed to check where the voice has ended up after all that warmup/co-ordination/development work. Continue reading “Ordering your song list”

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Three Versions of the Same Song – I Can’t Make You Love Me

One of the things I do whenever I’m learning a new song, is I try to find multiple versions to listen to – in this case, it’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me”. Sometimes this isn’t possible but generally there’s at least 2-3 versions of a given song out there for general consumption. The reason for me doing this is that each artist brings their own spin on a given song, which means I can hear different takes, but I can also get a better sense of the completely ‘neutral’ version of the song… the hidden structure/substrate that lies underneath singers’ versions of the song, rather than getting caught up in thinking this “ONE” version is the definitive version. Continue reading “Three Versions of the Same Song – I Can’t Make You Love Me”

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Can singing lessons help a bad singer?

“I think I’m tone deaf, can singing lessons help a bad singer like me?”

“I can’t sing will singing lessons help?”

“I’m awful at singing. My tone is bad and I struggle to even finish songs, can anything be done?”

Can singing lessons help a bad singer? Broadly speaking, yes. Singing well is like learning any other instrument. It involves proper training, muscular co-ordination, learning new mechanics, and developing tone.

Let’s deal with a couple of the hidden questions or assumptions people often make when it comes to singing Continue reading “Can singing lessons help a bad singer?”

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When Throat Viruses Attack – Back to singing after illness/vocal fatigue

Reading time: 4-5 minutes

Singing after illness or after bouts of vocal fatigue (especially when viruses, colds, sinus issues, mucous-heavy bugs have hit you) is a critical topic to consider. There is a certain amount you CANNOT do as you have to let an illness run its course. However, there are also things you can do to ensure your voice is as good as it can be for when the virus finishes it’s run. In this post, I wanted to take you through five key tips I use as part of my regimen to a) get my voice through a tricky throat virus or cold-based sickness, and b) alleviate how the symptoms can further aggravate your voice. Continue reading “When Throat Viruses Attack – Back to singing after illness/vocal fatigue”